


Teddy and Family-Chris and Ana

by Cindra



Series: Teddy and Family [3]
Category: 50 Shades of Grey - E. L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey (2015), Fifty Shades of Grey - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-29 04:29:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8475418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cindra/pseuds/Cindra
Summary: Ana and Chris all those years ago. Chris is 2 and Ana in 1. Fair warning Tissue Alert. You might wanna read Teddy's Day Out or Teddy and Family to understand what happened to Chris in this story.  This is a glimpse into their childhood.





	1. They meet

**Author's Note:**

> This is how Ana and Chris met all those years ago. Tissue alert.
> 
> I will try and do more little short stories of the two of them growing up…The Scooby gang's adventures…and more than likely this will be a prequel to my Teddy series…just give me time…
> 
> Just in case it confuses you Ana's just there for the party, she's fine. Only Chris and Mia are in the hospital recovering from the fire. Gail/Grace/Carla are all Best friends and they help and volunteer at the hospital...
> 
> Cin x

Seattle Grace-Oct 31, 1989-Children's burn ward.

Two year old Christian Alexander Grey glared at anyone and everyone except his baby sister and twin Mia Grey. He and his sister had been victims of a horrific arson fire which had cost the two of them everything in their little lives. Most toddlers would be crying and clinging to whatever security was offered to them.

Chris wasn't most toddlers. He was a highly gifted little guy who was cursed with a memory that forced him to never forget virtually anything. But the trauma from the fire had caused that particular gift or curse to glitch giving little or no recall as to what had actually happened to his family. The fire. How he had suffered horrific burns to his back, arms, and legs. Why he was forced to endure hell just to get better again. All of that escaped him. Though, he knew that his Mommy was gone, because the nice Angel had told him so in her gentle voice.

He didn't know if he should be angry, sad, or just numb. He had very little recall of his Mommy, but his baby sister constantly curled up in the bed beside his and cried herself to sleep calling for her. Their Gran. And their GG. It was frustrating him enough to act out at everyone because he didn't know who she was talking about. Yet there was this big ache in his chest and he didn't know why. They told him that he was a brave little guy for protecting his sister from the flames and he didn't remember that either, unless he was asleep which he hated because he dreamed of the fire, but when he woke up couldn't remember anything but the heat from the flames and his sister screaming.

He had undergone more stuff than his little mind could handle, so he just refused to show it after enduring treatment after horrific treatment to make him all better again. He knew that it was working, because he could actually move around again or sit up in bed without being in so much pain. The yucky stuff all over his skin was nearly gone and they had taken the bandages away.

"Chis we go party…" My twin and baby sister sits up her eyes are all bright and she's smiling. "It be fun…"

"You go…" I growl, folding my little arms in defiance. "I not going…"

"Mommy Grace say you go too…" Mia's nearly all better now, but she won't go home unless I can to. "We gets treats…" She thinks that's gonna make me wanna go, but she's wrong.

"So what…" I bury my face in my pillows, so I don't have to look at my happy sister's face.

"Candy!" Mia chants at me. "Candy good! Yummy Candy, Chris!" I lift my head to glare over at her and she jumping up and down on her bed and is gonna get into trouble again. "We dress up too!"

I burrow my face under the pillow to drown her out.

"Who's up for some trick or treating?" I stay buried under my pillow as my older brother Lelliot and Logan, my big brother too even though he's not, invade our hospital room. They're both older than us by a lot.

Lelliot is loud, but he's not bad as brothers go and Logan's really good a magic and stuff. Cary is his Lelliot's Daddy and my new Dad and Jason is Logan's. Cary is a guy who argues about stuff and wins and Jason is a real life GIJOE. Logan's Mommy is Gail and she's nice and makes us yummy stuff because hospital food is yucky.

"Chris no wanna go….but's I's do!" Mia keeps jumping on her bed. I can hear it squeak. "I be princess and get candy!"

"That's right, Mimi. Lots and lots of candy!" Lelliot must be going over and picking her up because she all happy giggles now. "Mom's got your costume all ready, Mia…" He carries her out of the room and I'm left with Logan.

"Not going!" I growl from under the pillow.

"You don't have a choice there, Little C. If your Mommy says you go that's it you go. Besides, it's fun and it gets you some freedom out of this bed." Logan sticks his head under the pillow and I glare at him.

"Fine right here." I sulk, grey eyes stormy and defiant.

"No you're not. What you are little C is really angry and a party is just what you need help make that angry go away." Logan plucks the pillow off of me and holds it up out of my reach.

"Give it back, Logan!" That's not fair! It's my safe place!

"You'll get it back after the party…" He sits the pillow in a chair. "How about we turn up the Turtle Power in here." I glare as he pulls stuff from a bag.

I curl myself up and make myself small under the covers. Touching hurts! "No! Touch!" I whimper and start shaking.

"Easy, Little C. No costume. Got it. How about just the mask?" I peek out from under my covers and he's holding out a ninja turtle mask.

"Touch hurts…No touch…Chris…" I slowly pull back the covers and sit up again.

"I know. I know. Grace said you got the stuff on your owies gone…that your hurts would be a little better." He retreats to the chair beside my bed, after sitting the hat on it. "You have PJ's on and that's touching your owies…"

"They soft…not hurt…me…" I sniffle.

"These are just new PJ's, Little C. Soft. They won't hurt. You." He digs into the bag again and sets the PJ's by the mask.

I touch the PJ's and they feel soft like the Pooh bear ones that Mommy Grace put on me after I got the owie stuff off me. "Leo…" I finger the blue mask of my favorite turtle and pick it up.

"He's your favorite, huh." Logan grins.

I nod, as I check out the mask and try to figure out how it works.

"He's cool. Do ya need a little help, little C?" I figured out how it goes on, but I still have stuff on my hands, and I nod.

"Owie stuff on hands…won't work…" I hold it out to him.

"Yeah, hands take a while to get better." He get's up and I let him put the mask on me. I brace myself, but it doesn't hurt. "That good? Is it hurting you?" He's staring at me now.

I shake my head.

"So far so good now how about just the shirt?" He holds up the PJ top.

I scoot back and hold my new teddy to me. He's new because my other teddy died in the fire, but Daddy Cary says new teddy will help keep scary dreams away. My eyes are wild and I'm starting to breathe really hard. My chest hurts.

"Easy, Easy, no top….Just the mask…breathe, Little C. You're safe." Logan's looking at me like they all do and it makes me mad.

I lash out at him. "Out!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going…just calm down…I'm sorry…!" Logan runs from the room because I am screaming at him to get out.

* * *

I curl up in a ball, making myself small, and cry. For what I don't know, but I want it back so bad that it hurts. I keep crying even when Mommy Grace scoops me up and goes to rock me in her arms

"Shh….easy, sweet boy. Momma's here." Mommy Grace sits down in the rocker by the window and we rock. I just cling to her and cry, because that doesn't make me feel better not today. It doesn't feel right. "You've had a long day. Haven't you." She croons kissing my head.

I nod and continue to cry against her shoulder. "Touch hurt…"

"I know, sweet boy. It hurt because of your owies, but they're nearly all better. Mommy's holding you, baby. Am I hurting you…" She soothes in her gentle voice and I slowly calm down.

I shake my head, because this cuddle doesn't hurt that much and I like the soft touch on my back. I burrow my face against her shoulder.

"Do you PJ's hurt?" She asks again softly.

I shake my head. My PJ's are soft. "No…" I whimper.

"I know that your owies made you think that all touch is going to hurt, but now that they are all better it won't hurt as much. Just feel strange at first. Okay, sweet boy?" She continues to rock me in the rocker.

"Grace?" Someone asks from the doorway. Another Mommy I think. "Gail and I have got the room all set for the party. Is the little guy okay."

"Down…" A tiny little voice demands. "Momma."

"In a little bit…" This Carla person tells them.

"Now…"

Curious I lift my head off Mommy Grace's shoulder and look over at where the voice is coming from. It's a little girl dressed like Pooh Bear and she looks mad. "Who be, Mommy?" I stare up at Mommy Grace and rub my eyes.

"We'll be there in a little while, Carla." Mommy Grace smiles over at this Carla person.

"Mommy?" I frown up at her. "Who be Baby?"

"Momma! Down! Want!" She's really mad now and is trying to wriggle free.

"It's okay, Carla. You can set her down. Chris want's to meet Ana too." Mommy Grace tells Ana's…I guess that's the baby's name…Mommy.

"Down you go, sweet pea." Carla set's her down and she makes a dash towards Mommy and me.

Well, as fast as her little legs let her to make it to Mommy's leg that she's trying really hard to crawl up to get to me. I curl into Mommy Grace's side as she finally manages to make it up to her lap.

"Ana, careful. Chris has owies." Her mommy races over to us.

"Owie…" Ana blinks big blue eyes at me and I nod warily at her, but stay against my Mommy's side. She stares at my owie covered hands. "Sorry…"

"Hi…" I manage warily. "Ana…I'm Chris…"

"Ana…tiss…" She carefully bends down and kisses my hand. "sorry…"

It doesn't hurt, and I stare wide eyed at her.

She kisses them all over. "Mine." She chimes happily and is hugging me.

It doesn't hurt! It feels warm! It feels safe! I like Ana hugs, so I hug her back.

"Mine." Ana snuggles closer and I let her.

"She likes you, Chris. Most of the time she's really shy." Carla smiles down at us.

It's like she thinks I'm her like Teddy, not that I mind. She's making the owies feel better again. "Ana go to party?" I look at the Mommies then down at Ana.

"Yes, sweet boy." Mommy Grace smiles at me.

"Then I go to party too with my Ana." It's like I don't feel that sad ache anymore. Just warm. Ana hugs are good medicine for owies. I know that as long as I have Ana it's gonna be all better again.


	2. Annie's mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Ana Steele is on a mission to get to her Chris!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:Had to change her age to three instead of four to make it work in the next chapter! Here's Ana determined to get to her Chris! This was so much fun to write! Enjoy!  
> Cin x
> 
> Disclaimer: The original characters are mine as is the story idea. EL owns the rest.

 

* * *

 

Ana (Three years old)

"But Daddy! I wanna see my Chris!" I stomp my sneakers, because it's been forever! Who cares if he has the itchy spots or not! I can make him all better like when he has dreams. He sounds so yucky over the phone and he misses me too. The dreams are coming back and I can't let that happen. Ever.

"I know you do, sweet pea." Daddy looks up at me from his worktable. He's drawing a new picture for a new boat. "But you can't right now. He contagious and it's only been two days. You'll both live."

"I don't care if he 'tagious or not!" I growl, folding my arms like Mommy does when she's mad at Daddy. It usually works for her.

"That's contagious, Babydoll…." Daddy chuckles at me and goes back to working on his drawing.

"That's what I said! 'tontagious! I had shots! Mommy and Momma Grace say I safe! Let me see my Chris!" I scowl at him and pace Daddy's work place.

"Repeat after me. Contagious, meaning the odds of you getting itchy spots are too high for us to risk. Go find Mommy. She's making monster cookies and you know how you love baking with Mommy. Daddy's on a deadline and has to get this done tonight, so that we can start on building Daddy Cary's new boat." He gives me his don't test me look. I don't care! I had shots! What good they for if they no work! Owies for nothing!

"Contagious…contagious…contagious…Shot's still make me safe! I wanna go see my Chris!" I stop in front of his weird table with my hands on my hips like Mommy! It's gotta work.

Daddy tosses his pencil down and before I can even blink I'm under his arm and carried out to the kitchen. "I know that it's not fair and that the two of you are both missing each other, but trust me you do not want itchy spots. They are not fun. Chris doesn't want you to have them either, so stop asking. It's not gonna be forever." He kisses me on the top of my head and heads back to his office.

"Up you go, baby girl." Mommy scoops me up and sets me on the really high chairs, so that I can see her baking. "Here, stir this for me really good. We're making cookies for Chris and Mia to make them feel better." She sets this big bowl in front of me and hands me a spoon.

"You get see, Chris and Mimi?" I sulk up at her, giving her my big blue eyes and stick my lip out that usually always works to get what I want.

"Yes, baby girl. I've had the chicken pox before, so I can help Grace with Mimi and Chris. We aren't being mean to you, angel face. The shots that you were given didn't work as they were supposed to, but that happens sometime. Chris and Mia are really sick and can't play even if you could see them." Mommy's pouring all the different kinds of chips into the bowl and also good stuff like oats meal and corny flakes.

"He sounded really bad…" I sniffle. Tears usually work too. "He's got bad dreams again…"

"That can happen when you don't feel very well or have a high fever like Chris has…" Mommy nods.

"I's his dreamcatcher…he needs me…" I whimper. Geez, nothing is working! It always works!

"We know and that's why he gets to talk to you on the phone all the time. Baby girl, this is a battle you aren't gonna win so give up." Mommy playfully taps my nose.

We'll see about that.

"Fine…" I blow the bangs out of my eyes that are always in the way and get to work stirring the bowl.

* * *

(Three days later)

What they don't know is that me and Chris watch Logan and Lelliot all the time. I know how to… what was that again…oh, yeah, pick a lock with Mommy's nail thingy. I can climb up and down the rose climbers too without getting all scratchy like they do, cuz I'm tiny. I'm so little that I can fit through Scout's doggie door. Lelliot's got's this big fluffy black doggie. He's so big that I can ride him, so his doggie doors are huge! That and Lelliot and Logan growl about his doody being yucky to clean up! The two of them share him and the 'sponsibility.

It's Friesday. Lelliot and Logan just left, cuz Daddy and Mommy had to works late at ship place for big order. They just gots home, so the boys can make their hot dates. It's all because I can't see Chris that they be late, cuz I gets to stay there if Mommy and Daddy works late.

I thinks that it's time up that he shouldn't be contagious, see I said it right, no more not seeing him. I think that they're just keeping him in bed to be safe. Five days! We gots swim lessons on Satday. He can't miss those.

"Daddy, cans I goes sees Chris yet?" I blink up at him like I'm sleepy and fake a yawn.

"Mia's nearly all better, sweet pea. Chris not so much. He got a really nasty case of the itchy spots, so it's gonna be a little bit longer." He gets me all snuggled into my Ella blue princess canopy bed and hands me my lion to cuddle. Chris gave me it long time ago and I always cuddle it at night-time.

"Can I talks to him?" I whimper between fake yawns. "Please, Daddy?"

"He's sleeping, angel face. He needs lots of sleep to get better." Mommy croons down at me, as she pets my hair.

"Okay…" I yawn, snuggling under the covers

"Bedtime story?" They ask softly.

"Nah-uh… watched Disney movie and played with Scout…" I answer in my best sleepy voice and close my eyes.

"So, that's why he's conked out in front of our fireplace dead to the world …" I can tell that Daddy's shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Lelliot and Logan are gonna get it. Daddy loves Scout though, so he's even got his own Doogie door here at our house and even at Uncle J and Auntie Gail's too. He's like everyone's dog and we love him.

"Yep…we played with the ball a lot…" I yawn again. "Then run on beach…"

"Then he's earned his snooze…" Mommy must be smiling at me. I can hear it in her voice.

"Night…Mommy…Daddy…luvs you…" Maybe saying that will work and they'll go sleep then I go see my Chris!

"Night, precious. Sweet dreams." Mommy kisses my head.

"Night, Sweet pea. Dream of unicorns and rainbows…" Daddy's next.

"We love you…see you in the morning…" The both say softly thinking that I'm out. Turn on my night light and finally leave and close the door. I'm a big girl, so I don't need the door open to sleep. Besides, Logan and Lelliot scared off the monsters when Sam had to watch me, cuz she made them come and search all over for them! Chris was with me too and they even slept on the floor to make sure the monsters were gone. They did it at Chris's too for a whole week before both Chris, Mimi and I were sure they were gone.

Usually I get to sleep with Chris one day and he gets to sleep with me the other, so we can keep his bad dreams away. Five whole days is too many. Chris needs me. So I's got ta try ta go to him.

* * *

(2am)

I wait until the house is really, really, quiet. Then scramble out of bed, put on my sneakers, and head straight to my bathroom. I got this stool to stand on. I think it will reach the hook thingy on the doors to the balcony…I think that's what it's called in my books. First, I take the nail thingy in case I need it, cuz it's locked. I'm not supposed to go out there by myself.

I love my plushy carpet, because it doesn't make noise when I drag the stool over to the doors with curtains on them that match my bed. Drat. It's still too high to reach! I need something to reach it. I look around my room and see my brella, race over to get it, and then race back to my stool and finally the latch thingy moves! It takes me many tries, but the top is unlocked. I try the handles it's locked, so I use the nail thing for what seems like forever! Logan and Lelliot do this so fast! Finally it clicks and I can open the doors!

I'm careful not to make any noise when I open them up wide, so that I can drag the stool over to the wall of the balcony. The wall is high and I need it so that I can climb over it. Then I go and close the doors. I climb up my stool and can just pull myself up so that I can get on the top of the wall. It's really high, but Chris needs me! I look down at the rose climber. It goes all the way to the ground, so I won't have to jump. I'm glad I'm wearing my sneakers. My teddy slippers would fall off. Don't wanna get my feet all scratchy. I think about my robe, but then it'd get all tangled, and I need to hurry.

I as carefully as I can climb down the rose climber and only get scratched a few times when I get to the bottom and then finally the grass. I listen, but it's still really quiet, so I run across the grass to the big tree with the swing on it and then listen again. Still quiet, so I run for the rose fence and it feels like forever to get to it. I scramble through my spot in the rose fence that I can go through without getting all scratchy and then race straight for Scout's doggie door. It's the back door by the kitchen, so I gotta be really quiet. I wiggle through it and I'm in the kitchen! Perfect! It's up the other steps and then I'll have to sneak to Chris's room!

I can hear the TV on in the family room, so Daddy Cary or Momma Grace must still be awake waiting for Lelliot …This is gonna make it tricky, cuz the steps make noise, so I'm gonna have to be really, really, careful. I can hear Daddy Cary growling about Lelliot being two hours late and grounded for life…that's a long, long, time. Like forever! I think he's coming to use the phone in the kitchen so I race up the stairs hoping that I don't make them squeak and I don't.

That was too close, so as soon as I get to the family floor, I race for Chris's door. It's not closed all the way so I open it just enough so that I can get inside. He's coughing and whimpering in his sleep, so I race over to his bed and use the covers to climb up into it.

He's got spots everywhere! He's covered in pink stuff and wearing gloves. I guess so he won't scratch. I'd be scratching like crazy if it were me! Chris whimpers again and I know that he's having a bad dream, so I dive under the covers and curl up right next to him. I'm really, really tired, so I close my eyes and fall asleep.

* * *

(Two hours later)

Carla

I just have a feeling that something isn't right with Ana. She missed Storytime and my baby girl loves her stories. I think she's miffed at us for keeping her away from Chris and doesn't understand. Teddy and Phi both offered to let her stay at their orchard for a bit, but she through a tantrum to end all tantrums when we put her in the car this morning. No Granny or Grandpa T without Chris or Mimi! She screamed until we turned around and not even IHOP would work, so that was a wash.

Gail said that she was brooding all day after that and thought the boys would cheer her up. They brought Scout and put off their dates just to cheer her up. El's at a loss. So is Logan nothing worked. She grudgingly went along with what they were doing and that was that. Jason warned Cary and Ray that Annie being quiet wasn't a good sign.

She seemed all tuckered out when we got her settled in bed, but there is just something eating at me that I have to go check on my baby. I carefully open her door and as soon as I step inside I see that she's out of bed, so I go check the bathroom. She's not there. I check in the closet. Nothing. I'm starting to freak out, so I look under the bed and she's just not here! Someone's taken my baby!

"RAY!" I scream bloody murder as I race out of Ana's room. "CALL 911!"

Ray's racing out of our room with his gun. That's not going to help if someone has already taken our daughter! "WHAT'S WRONG?!"

"ANA'S GONE! SOMEONE'S TAKEN OUR BABY!" I scream frantically at him and race downstairs to see if she's getting a snack or water. Nothing!

Scouts alert and barking up a storm. Lot good you are! Someone got Ana!

"I'm calling T and Cary!" Ray races for the phone. "Keep checking the house!"

Scout and I check the entire house over and there is no Ana to be found.

"She's gone! My baby!" I burst into tears that one of the threats to our family actually came to be. "Taylor's security is crap, Ray!"

"It's not possible! I designed those doors myself! There is no way that anyone could unlatch it from the outside! T's already made the rounds when the silent alarm tripped, but everything was secure. No activity at the gates for this to be a kidnapping!" Ray races outside and I'm on his heels.

"Ray! There is nothing that points to her being taken! Could she be over at Cary's?" Jason's out checking everywhere on the grounds.

"He's checking, but we have to think of it like someone pulled the mother of all fast ones one us!" Ray shouts back.

"How could she! She's Three! There is no way that she could even reach the latch or unlock her doors to the balcony!" I scream at them. "Call the police! Alert our neighborhood watch! Find my Baby!"

"Carla!" Gail races over to me and pulls me into her arms. "Let's go inside. They'll find her. We'll check the whole house from top to bottom. She's tiny. She can fit anywhere and hide and she's upset that she can't visit Chris." She leads me back inside.

"I'm calling the police! My three year old is gone!" I race over to the phone.

* * *

Ray

"Jason! How the hell did they get into her room?!" I snarl at my best friend.

"They can't. Not without trying to break the glass, but that's touch sensitive. I've checked the grounds, even the guest house, and there is no sign of a perp anywhere!" Jason would be pulling his hair out along with me, but our crewcuts make that impossible.

We're standing on the balcony searching for any clue or sign and there is nothing pointing to someone forcing the doors to her room. "Could she have sleepwalked? I mean it's possible and she's tiny enough to wiggle her way out?" I'm grasping at straws and trying to remain in control, but there have been threats lately.

"Let's search the house and grounds again and then we'll take more serious measures."

"I called the police! They're sending a patrol car! They think she wandered off!" Carla's fuming. "She's not here! Searching the house again is a waste of time!"

"I'll contact my guy in the FBI about Ana missing and this being a possible kidnapping…" Jason heads for the phone in my office.

"Ray! Our baby…." Carla's clinging to me.

"She could be wandering the neighborhood. Sleepwalking does run in the family." I try and get her to calm down.

The phone in the kitchen rings. "Steele. Peggy? Yes, Ana's missing. We think she might be sleepwalking…All the help we can get…thank you so much…we'll make here the command center…." I hang up the phone. "Peggy's getting the neighborhood up and searching. We'll find her."

* * *

Logan

What the hell? I'm dropping off El to complete chaos. Something major is up! "Elliot, I think someone's cased the Steele's place. Not that it's possible Dad's security is the best."

"It looked like they were looking for someone. The whole hoods up." He frowns.

"Boys!" Daddy C shouts at us.

"What's going on Dad? The movie was a triple…" El runs over to his dad, seeing as I can't even pull into up the driveway and they have a long drive. There are cop cars everywhere.

"Ana's missing…" His dad starts to explain.

"What the fuck do you mean, little bit is missing?!" We both shout.

"Exactly what I'm telling you! Ana is missing! The neighborhood is all out looking for her. We don't know when she wandered off, but it looks to be a few hours from when Carla found her not in her bed. Jason investigated the silent alarm being tripped at around two and Carla checked on her around four…"

"Did anyone call the FBI?! They deal with kidnapping? I heard dad talking about threats…" I feel numb. Baby sister is either kidnapped or wandering alone!

"Jason has made all of the calls and because this is Raymond Steele's little girl missing a team is already on its way and we have half the SPD here looking." Daddy C growls.

"I'm checking Chris's room!" El ran inside with me after him.

"Elliot, ya gotta chill. Do not wake Chris!" I race up the stairs after him.

"Chris can sleep through anything. He won't even know we're there. Dad gave him his meds and they knock him out." El goes into Chris's room and he's right Chris is sound asleep. We check everywhere and it still doesn't wake him up.

"Well, she wouldn't go to Mimi. She's a monster like Ana to wake up. Let's check the rest of the house." We search it from top to bottom and even risk Mimi's room. Blinded by pink is not fun! Pink to the extreme! Nada no sign of Ana, so we head back outside to check the grounds.

"Guys!" Adam jogs up to me, along with Luke, Ryan, Ren, and my Sam. "All of us just got back from the marathon and we all live nearby one another.

"Ana's really gone?" Sam races into my arms and I hug her to me.

"Looks like." I nod.

"They're saying possible kidnapping or maybe she wandered off…" Adam frowns.

"She's three!" Sam, Luke, Ry, and Ren growl.

"Yeah, but her Dad was saying something to Officer Grayson that sleepwalking runs in the family, so they're thinking that's what happened." Adam's going to be either a cop, black hat, Fed, or black ops. All of us are gonna enlist, but El's wants to study to be an architectural engineer and have his own construction company so he's gonna go to some posh Ivy League university.

"Fuck! She could have wandered down to the beach..." El, Ry, Luke, and Ren head off to search the beach.

"Yeah, don't think Chris is at the beach. She'd wander to Chris." Adam snorts, rolling his eyes. "Has your Dad checked the feed? Or did they all panic and have a brain fart?"

"Dad!" I shout over at where all the uniforms are gathered.

"Son! Kinda busy right now!" He shouts back.

"Did ya check the feed! Adam thinks ya had a brain fart and panicked!" Sam, Adam, and I jog over to them.

"Yes, son, we're going over it again…" He growls. Everyone has got state of the art tech! Dad's using stuff that I've never seen before.

"It was just a thought…" Adam gulps when Dad glares at him.

"Go search with the boys..." He growls.

We bolt for the others. Weekend boot camp is not fun!

* * *

Grace

What in the world is going on at my house! There are police cars lining the street and I could barely get into my own driveway. I see the FBI jackets and instantly panic. Something happened to one of the kids! FBI means kidnapping!

"My babies!" I finally manage to park and am out of my car and headed into the house before Cary can even shout my name.

"Momma…"Christian is standing at the foot of the steps in his Power Ranger PJ's rubbing his eyes with one hand while he has Ana's in his other. "What's going on? Ana got thirsty and woke me up?"

I scoop them both up into my arms and hug them close. "Thank heavens you're alright. I was so worried…" Then it hits me. Ana's here. The FBI and Police. They must be looking for her.

"Grace! I was trying to…" Cary rushes inside and can't believe his eyes. "Ana! Baby girl, you're alright!" He takes her from me and cuddles her close, kissing her head.

"I wanted to see, Chris…" Ana sniffles.

"Oh, sweetie, where were you hiding?" He croons.

"She no hide, Daddy. She was cuddled with me under covers in my bed." Christian's staring at him like he's lost it. "Just like she always does…what's with all the people outside? Are those police? What's FBI?" His eagle eyes take in what's happening from the open doorway.

"I sorry…" Ana turns her head to see what Christian's is talking about. "I wanted to see my Chris!" She bursts into tears.

"It's okay….hush….your safe that's all that matters…let's go see your Mommy and Daddy. They're worried sick about you." Cary carries her outside and is met with shouts and cries that thank god she's safe.

"Mommy, Ana's got spots so why couldn't she stay with me all this time then she not sneak here to me?" Christian's scowl says it all.

"What do you mean, baby boy? Where does Ana have spots?"

"She's got them on her arms, legs, tummy, and some on her face. She was hot and thirsty and woke up itchy too." Christian frowns.

"Oh, dear, it took a little longer for her to show clear signs…"

"That's okay. We can be itchy and spotty together!" Christian's smiling now.

"Ana's been contagious for days…" I set him down on his feet. "Back to bed. I'll be up in a bit."

"With Ana?" He heads up the stairs.

"Not for a little while. Her Mommy and Daddy will want to cuddle her for a bit. She gave them quite a fright." I call after him.

"They fault…" He calls back.

"Christian Alexander!" I shout after him.

"It is! They shoulda let her see me!" He growls from the landing.

"Bed now."

"Just saying!"

* * *

Ana

"My baby!" Mommy races up to Daddy Cary and takes me from him and I hide my head in her shoulder. There are way too many people here!

"Annie!" Daddy's next and I'm squished in between them.

"Pack it up! She's fine!" I hear someone shout.

"Annie!" The boys and Sam all race over to us.

"I'll start on breakfast!" Aunt Gail walks by kisses my head and then goes into Chris's house.

"I'm hot…" I sniffle and cough. "I itchy too."

Daddy checks me over. "Yep, she's got it and it's spreading…"

Momma Grace's checking the boys. "Oh, dear, I've gotta call the school at once…" She runs back into the house.

"Mom?" Lelliot's really confused, but I can see spots on them all.

"You's got's spots too!" I point.

"No!" They groan.

"You've more than likely infected the whole school that's why Grace raced inside." Daddy Cary shakes his head. "Bed now and that means all of you home. Have your parents call your doctors. Adam, take one of the guest rooms that goes for you as well Logan. Marcus can do a house call."

"Later!"

"This bites!" Logan, Lelliot, and Adam stomp into the house.

"I can't be sick! I've got perfect attendance!" Sam stalks off.

"BOYS!" Cary stalks after them.

"Ana, you did not hear that." Daddy growls.

"Okay, Daddy."

"Ray, we're moving the trellis!" Uncle Jason comes over and kisses me on the head.

"My roses…" Mommy frowns.

"She climbed down it, Carla. I've got it all. The entire escape. You little stinker. No more silent alarm for your doors." He shakes his head at me and then goes off to talk to the people everywhere.

"What?!" Mommy cuddles me closer.

"We'll move it over to the other side or try to, but it's gone." Daddy growls.

"Carla? Bring her inside so that I can look her over.

"Can I be with Chris now that I's got spots?" I chime out.

"Ana..."

"Please…"

Anastasia…"

"But I's got's spots too!" I whine.

"Anastasia Rose Steele!"

"Fine!"


	3. Annie vs Mr. Bubble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You can really see who Teddy takes after in this one! This was so much fun to write! Enjoy!
> 
> I'm working on both this story and Teddy and Family as I'm trying to meet my Camp NaNowriMo goal of 25,000 words! Big shout out to the girls and my Cabin mates in Fifty's Boot Camp! You Rock and are fantastic writers! I'm trying my best to do my part, but this month has not been my friend at all! It's hard to write when you're miserable, but I will prevail!
> 
> Cin x

* * *

Ana

(She's turning four and Chris is five)

I don't get why coz Chris is a year older than I am that I have to go to some baby school and he gets to go to one in the big building. I'm just as smart as he is so why can't I go too! It's not fair!

"I wanna go ta Kindy school too!" I stomp across the floor of our treehouse that our Dads designed for us, so that it's built right into the big oaks that shade both our backyards.

"Mom say's that you're too little and that you can't, um, I think it was sign up or something like that…I guess ya gotta be five ta go ta Kindy school and you're still almost four!" He's pulling at his hair again and he looks like he wants to run.

He does that a lot when he gets upset about something. Me. I pout or throw things like plushies, toys, or pillows.

"That's not fair! I can do everything you can, so I wanna go too!" I grab a few plushies and throw them at him before I go throw myself onto the couch.

We have our size chairs and stuff. Chris and me are in the castle. It's got stairs that go up into a naptime place, and then to a sky tower. It has a ball pit with plastic balls that we can jump in. Then there's the art room where we can make stuff. I have a mini library. Then we got's a girl treehouse like a doll house for girl stuff and on the other side is a boy treehouse for boy stuff. Chris calls it a fort. We got's these twisty stairs instead of something we can climb, because our moms worry too much.

Chris's side has the playground stuff attached to it, so we have our own playground too.

"Ana! It's not like I make the rules and stuff! Don't take it out on me!" He dove behind a beanie bag to avoid the plushies.

"Then they need ta change the rules so I can go too!" I scream into the pillows.

"I don't think that's how it works." Chris is poking his head out at me.

"Well it should!" I hiss in determination.

I'm gonna change that rule! I'm on a mission, so I stomp off to go find Chris's Daddy. He's like my other Daddy and I call him Daddy Cary. He's good with law stuff and if anyone can change one it's Chris's Daddy.

"Ana! Where ya going!" Chris yells from behind me, but I'm already down the stairs and running towards the house. "Don't be all mad! I wish you could go too!"

I race by the pool where Lelliot, Logan, and Adam are swimming. It's fenced so that we won't accidently fall in and die or something. Yeah, right, I've been swimming since I was one and I know better than to break the no swimming without adult rule.

The bigger kids don't have to follow it at all and can go swim whenever they want to it's so not fair! Just like a lot of stupid rules that we have that they don't because they're teenagers. Being a little kid sucks!

"Annie! Where's the fire, Babydoll?!" Logan shouts at me.

"What's going on, Princess?" Adam is next to holler at me.

"Chris is going to Kindergarten and she can't so she's been on the warpath." I hear Elliot get out of the pool, the gate opening, and then before my feet even hit the steps to the deck. He scoops me up.

"Put me down!" I screech, kicking and screaming in fury, as he carries me over his shoulder. Heading back to the pool.

I'm not in the mood to swim! I have a rule to change so I can go to Kindy School with my Chris!

"You need to cool it, little bit." He jumps into the deep end of the pool and I instinctively take a breath, close my eyes, and reach up to plug my nose. I hate getting water up my nose it's the worst! I cough and my nose stings!

I wriggle as soon as we hit the water. My foot gets him in the nose, so he's gotta let me go to grab it. He sinks to the bottom while I swim to shallow part so that I can get out easier.

"I didn't wanna get wet!" I growl, as I stalk up the pool steps to get out of the water.

Chris is standing there with a worried look on his face waiting for me with a towel. "Are you okay? He's not pose ta do that coz we're still little and he's big. You got him good with your foot though, so there is that." He wraps me up in the towel.

Logan and Adam are fishing Lelliot out of the water, because I made his nose bleed.

"I'm not sorry!" I glower at Lelliot, not caring that he's coughing and howling over his nose and swallowing all that water. That and he's saying a lot of no-no words. "He had it coming!"

"Nice move, Babydoll!" Logan's howling with laughter.

"Yeah, Princess, I think ya broke his nose!" Adam's snorts between fits of laughter.

Boys are so weird!

"Elliot Johnathan Grey! Language!" Momma Grace is mad. Lelliot's in big, big, trouble.

"Annie broke my nose, mom!" Elliot whines like the voice of the teacher in the Snoopy cartoon.

"What in the world were you thinking!? You deserved what you got for not leaving her alone! Boys, get him inside and I'll see what damage Ana's little foot did to his nose. Chris, Ana, go see Gail. She's got your snack ready in the kitchen."

Chris grabs my hand and we bolt for the kitchen and our snack.

* * *

Aunt Gail sees me all wet dripping all over the kitchen floor and scoops me up, "What happened?"

"Lelliot jumped into the pool with her and Ana broke his nose with her foot." Chris has no problem telling on Lelliot.

"I'm not sorry! I was coming into the house ta see Daddy Cary!" I growl, wrinkling my nose in fury.

"Let's go get you warm, dry, and into some fresh clothes." Aunt Gail kisses the top of my head and then looks down at Chris. "Chris, you need to head up to your room and try on some of your new school clothes to see if I need to hem them or not. I've set them out on your bed."

"Why can't I wear my play clothes…?" Chris mutters under his breath.

"Because that's what all the kids who go to school wear." She informs him as we head to my room. Yep, I have a room here at Chris's house and he and Mia have a room at mine for when our parents have to go away for their jobs and stuff. "You can't wear play clothes until after school, not even Elliot and the rest of the Breakfast club have to follow a dress code. Count yourself lucky that it isn't a uniform. This isn't a chore, little man."

Mia went shopping with Kate and Momma K today and I stayed here because I hate shopping! It's boring! Clothes are clothes! Dresses yuck! Kate and Mia love playing dress up, tea parties, dolls. I don't. Daddy calls me a tomboy because I like to do boy things, but I try and endure girl time with Mia and Kate. Mommy says that I'll grow out of it when I'm older, but I can't see myself being all crazy over shopping or clothes.

"It's a dumb rule! You can learn lots wearing play clothes too!" Chris stalks into his room while we head into the bathroom.

"I'll run you a quick bath while I go see about getting you something to wear." Aunt Gail's one of my godmothers and I love her to pieces, but I'm on a mission to get to go to school with Chris. I can get the pool smell off me later.

"Can't I just change clothes?" I pout up her, blinking soulfully with my big blue eyes. It usually works to get my way, but Aunt Gail's immune.

"Out of those wet clothes and into the tub you go. I'll be in to wash your hair after I get back with your clothes and no adding bubbles to the water." Aunt Gail knows that when I get into a tub that it usually ends up with me flooding the bathroom with bubbles.

I love bubbles when I have to take a bath the more bubbles the happier I am. I sigh heavily and do as I'm told. The second she's out that door and it closes I grab the bottle on the tub, dump it all in, turn the water back on, then flip up the shower thingy because I have to make the bubbles real fast. No bath time unless I get bubbles too!

Boy do I get my bubbles! There are so many that its way above my head and the bubbles are escaping the tub too! Bubbles! Bubbles! And they won't stop! I love it!

I'm laughing, giggling, and sneezing in my bubble paradise. The water's getting really, really, high and I can't find where to turn it off because of all the lovely bubbles!

"Anastasia Rose Steele! You little stinker!" Aunt Gail's back. "I was only gone five minutes! How did you turn on the shower!? You've flooded the floor with water and bubbles!"

I see her hand blindly reaching in front of me to turn off the water and then watch giggling as she swats the bubbles away in search of my giggling self. "No bath without my bubbles!" I splash around in the water.

"Bubbles!" I can hear Chris giggling and laughing.

"I love happy bubbles!" I echo back between fits of giggles while Aunt Gail uses the hand shower thing to make them go away, only it makes more instead.

"Christian, you aren't helping!" Aunt Gail's trying to act cross, but I can hear her giggling too.

"I'll go get Daddy!" Chris races back out of the bathroom.

"No! He's working!" Aunt Gail shouts out after him, but Chris is super fast when he wants to be. "I'll never hear the end of it now…" I hear her mutter to herself.

"Chris! Slow down! What's the big emergency! Did something happen to Gail and Ana?" Daddy Cary's voice is loud like Daddy so we can easily hear him talking to Chris.

"Bubbles! Water everywhere! Tub! Ana! Aunt Gail's trying ta stop them too but they won't stop!" Chris is talking super fast to his Daddy. "Ana's gonna drown in bubbles!"

"Annie's flooded the bathroom again? Thank heavens that it's a wet room so the water will drain quickly. Now the bubbles that's another issue altogether. Drowning in them? How long did she leave her by herself? She knows that our angel loves to add bubbles when you leave her." Daddy Cary doesn't seem mad, so maybe I'm not in trouble.

"It's the middle of the afternoon. Why is she in the tub to begin with?" They're both coming up the stairs.

"Lelliot…"

"Why am I not surprised…"

"Ana's still mad because she can't go ta school with me, coz she's too little still."

"Go on…" I think they're stopping in the hallway.

"I told her that it was coz of some rule, so she went ta go see you so that you can get the rule changed…."

"Is that so…" I hear him chuckle.

"Uh-huh. You are good with law stuff."

"I'll see what I can do…"

Yes! Kindy School here I come!

"Now let's see what she's…"

Silence.

I can't see either of them yet, because the bubbles are still in the way.

"See! Daddy! She's gonna drown in bubbles!" Chris chimes excitedly.

"Oh, dear lord! The entire bottle!?"

Um…maybe I spoke too soon…about him not being mad.

"How long did you leave her?!"

"Five minutes, maybe ten…"

"Gail! You know the rule of thumb when it comes to this little pixie and the bathtub!" He chokes out.

I think he swallowed some bubbles! Oops! Maybe the whole bottle was too much!

"I had to run downstairs and prepare an ice pack for Elliot's nose for after Grace gets finished treating it." Aunt Gail sneezes out.

"What happened to Elliot's nose?" He coughs out.

"Lelliot grabbed Ana and then jumped into the pool with her and then she hit him in the nose with her foot. Now Lelliot's got a broke nose. She was all wet and stuff and that's why she's in the tub." Christian's sneezing as he tries to tell his Daddy what happened.

"I'm not sorry! I didn't wanna get wet! He grabbed me! I wanted ta ask you ta get the rule changed so I can go ta Kindy school with my Chris!" I chime out between sneezes, as the bubbles tickle my nose.

"Is that so…Elliot and I are gonna have words, but first we need to deal with your little mischief with the tub. We'll need a few industrial quality wet dry vacuums to tackle this monster or I might just call in a service…In the meantime, get her out of there if you can find her and finish her bath. All of those bubbles can't be good if she inhales them. Thank heavens, it's a no tears formulation or she wouldn't be giggling like a naughty little imp right now…"

"Anastasia Rose! The whole bottle!?" Yikes! Momma Grace isn't helping Elliot's nose anymore. That's her mommy voice.

"Did the princess flood the bathroom again?" Adam shouts from downstairs.

"So that's why Mom raced back upstairs! She left Annie in the tub!" Logan's next.

"And we're missing it!? Where's the video camera!" Lelliot still sounds so weird and no cameras! "This is AFV gold!"

"It's in the den! Bring the camera too!" Momma Grace calls down the stairs. "Carla and Ray will want to see this when they get home and it'll look adorable on the family wall."

"Take Chris. I'm going to go call in a crew to clean up Bubble Armageddon or it'll take forever for us to tackle this monster. Then I'm going to call up the school and convince them to allow Ana to start with Chris or this is just the beginning of her acting out." I can just barely see him set Chris in his Mommy's arms, because Aunt Gail's got the bubbles so that you can now just barely see my head.

"Smile for the camera, Annie!" Lelliot's got the video thingy.

"Are you in there somewhere, Pixie?" Logan's got the camera. "There you are. I can see your head."

"God this is so adorable. I'd laugh but then I'd probably choke to death." Adam smirks.

"Mia!" I hear Daddy Cary shout from downstairs. "Get back here!"

"I wanna know why Chris is thinking about bubbles!" She shouts back as she races up the stairs.

"I love bubbles!" I giggle out.

"Bubbles are fun!" Chris giggles too.

"A bubble party! Move!" Mia wiggles between the boys and then happily dives right in.

"I wanna play too, Mommy!" Chris is wiggling in his Mommy's arms.

"Let him down, Mom. Grandpa and Grandma T will love this." Elliot grins.

"Down you go, baby boy. Just for a little while. Okay you three?"

"Bubbles!" The three of us giggle.

"We'll watch them. Mom, you might wanna go get her swimsuit so that she doesn't turn into a prune." Logan's reading my mind and the waters getting cold.

Aunt Gail scoops me up in a towel and carries me out of the bathroom. "We'll be right back. Don't let them hurt themselves on that slippery floor."

"I'll make sure of it." Adam dives in to be the watcher while Logan and Lelliot use the camera and the video thingy.

It doesn't take any time at all for me to race back into bubble paradise and all the fun. Momma Grace and Aunt Gail leave our big brothers to watch us. Lelliot and Logan has the camera set up so that they can play too.

We're having so much fun that we don't even notice that Daddy Cary is standing there with a man that I know. That's Mr. Manny! He comes to my house lots of times. He's who Daddy calls when there's too much water and it needs cleaned up. He does bubbles too with this big hose that's so big I can crawl into it that sucks up all the bubbles and water and they go away. Where they go don't ask me. Bubble Heaven?

"Baby girl! What did you get yourself into now?" Mr. Manny's eyes are so big and his mouth is open wide like a fish as he stares at us.

"Hi! Mr. Manny!" I race over and hug his leg.

"The Pixie strikes again!" One of the men in blue chuckles.

"Pay up! I told ya it was worse than last time!" Another one is just grinning at us, both of them are holding onto the end of that big hose.

"I thought we talked about this. Bottles and water are a no touch thing for you." Mr. Manny scoops me up and then gives my nose a tap.

"Aunt Gail was giving me a bath. No bubbles. No bath." I stick my lip out in a pout.

"That's only during bath time, angel face." Daddy Cary is shaking his head at me. "Gail was just getting the chlorine off of you that's why no bubbles."

"Daddy, a bath is a bath." Chris rolls his eyes up at him.

"Bath time playtime is right before bed. Anything else is just to get the two of you clean as quickly as possible." Daddy Cary scoops up Chris.

"Daddy! Can we make this our bubble room now?" Mia zooms over and hugs his leg.

"Afraid not, baby girl. Mr. Manny and his crew are here to make your bubble fantasy disappear so that we can have a working bathroom again."

"But we're making bubble animals and people!" Mia wails and as per her usual she bursts into tears.

"Think of it as when you make snow people and animals. Sorry, sweetheart, but the bubbles all of them have to go." He's scoops her up in his other arm and she buries her head against his chest.

"Snow stays way longer than bubbles. They pop and then go poof." I chime in.

"Poof?" Mia sulks looking up at her Daddy and then over at me.

"Poof?" I nod making a motion with my hands.

"Yep! They go pop! Then are all gone!" Chris mirrors me.

"Kids! Come downstairs! We've made some bubble solution and set up a bubble station for you, so that you can blow bubbles yourselves!" Momma Grace calls up the stairs.

"Bubbles!" The three of us grin at one another.

"Down you go, baby girl." Mr. Manny sets me down and gives my butt a little pat. "And please try not to flood anymore bathrooms with water or bubbles. Three times is the charm. We don't need to aim for a fourth."

"I'll try, Mr. Manny." I giggle and zoom off to go have some more fun making bubbles.

"Wait for us!" Chris and Mia shout. "Down please, Daddy."

"Change into swim suits and out of your good clothes first then you can go blow bubbles to your little hearts content." I hear him tell them as I carefully make my way down the stairs. It's hard to go down them, coz the hose is there and it's huge.

"Yay! Bubbles!" I hear Mia and Chris zoom off to their rooms.

* * *

We're sitting around eating lunch when Daddy Cary gets up to answer the doorbell. I'm so happy eating my mac and cheese and fries that I don't notice when he comes right behind my chair and tells the lady in this really bright purple dress with ugly big flowers that I'm the little wiz she's going to be testing.

Testing? I'm taking a test? Why am I taking a test? Is coz I wanna be with Chris and the others in Kindy school? Is that it? Did they have to take a test too? Not that I care. I can pass any test that Chris can easy.

"Ana? Why are you taking a test with Miss. Mana? I had ta take one. It was sooo boring, but I passed it and got stickers too." Chris asks between bites of Mac and Cheese.

"Like I know?" I shrug my shoulders, and roll my eyes. "I wanna go to school with you so guess I have ta take the test too. Boring really? I thought it's a special school for smart kids. Why'd they give a boring test?

"I guess they wanna know how good we're at stuff. If we can read. Write. Know letters and numbers. Stuff like that." Chris shrugs too and rolls his eyes. "She just stared at me when I told her that the book she wanted me ta read was baby stuff. I could read Tom Sawyer. I can add stuff and subtract. Know all my letters and numbers and she was like staring at my test. But she was nice too."

"I don't know why, cuz we've taken lots."

"Remember the one...Junior Mens?" Chris asks me as he goes for the cookies on the table.

"Yeah, that one was a challenge for us and sooo not boring. And we got's ta be on a list too!" I nod.

That test made my head hurt when it was done. I mean, why do ya have to prove that you're smart anyway? You either are or you're not. You don't need an endless test. You just know. Reading. Writing. Math. All of that comes easy for Chris, Mia, and me, coz once we hear it or see it we never forget it.

Lelliot calls it cheating, coz he can't do what we can, but it's just our gift. It's not like Luke, Ryan, and Ren can do what we can either.

Lelliot can build, draw, and stuff. He helped build our tree-houses. Logan, Sam, and Adam can do what we can too or something like it. I guess that's why he feels so left out. The other boys don't have any problem with it though, just Lelliot.

"Chris, I want you and Ana to come with me to my study. But you aren't allowed to do anything but sit quietly in your chair while Miss Mana gives Ana her evaluation tests to see if she can go to kindergarten with all of you or not." Daddy Cary's gonna let him come with us! Good! I won't get all shy and nervous.

"Can I finish my cookie first? I'll be quiet. She's gonna roll her eyes when she sees it though. It's not even gonna take her the end time ta finish. Can we just skip Kindy school and go to first grade?" Chris asks between bites of his cookie.

"You're in an advanced class and are going to be with your friends, so that should make you somewhat happy. Kiddo." Daddy Cary chuckles. "You can bring the cookie with you."

"I just wanna be able ta go with Chris ta school. If it's boring that's fine. I can always bring my book. I'm reading Charlotte's Webb and Chris's reading Treasure Island. We can read books, right?"

"You're reading Charlotte's Webb?" Miss Mana is just staring at me like I have two heads or something.

"I can read lots of books." I nod.

"She can count, write her name, words, lots of stuff…we're not babies." Chris snorts, rolling his eyes at her.

"Christian." Uh-oh! Daddy Cary doesn't like eye rolling. It's not polite, but we can't help ourselves sometimes. Like now.

"Sorry, Daddy. We're smart. We have good memories. We don't forget anything. It's a pain. Too. Coz it includes bad dreams too." Chris shoves the cookie in his mouth really fast so we can go. I'm done with mine and am already on my feet next to Daddy Cary and Miss Mana.

"We took that Mens test and got on a list. Didn't that mean we were smart?" I give them my confused and sulky face and fold my arms for the right effect.

"Is she talking about Junior Mensa?" Miss Mana's eyes are so huge it's like looking at one of those cartoons with the big eyes. "She's not even four yet?"

"She's almost four!" Chris frowns at her.

I have to show Miss Mana that I'm smart like Chris so I try and figure out how many days till my Birthday to show her that I can do math and get it right too.

"I'll be four in ten days?" I look up at Daddy Cary to see if I'm right.

"Yes, sweetie, you're birthday is ten days away." He bends down to kiss the top of my head.

"I did math in my head but not sure if I got it right or not. And I did!" I squeal happily beaming with happiness that I didn't mess up in front of Miss Mana. I mean how many nearly four year-olds can do math! That's gotta show her that I'm smart and can go to Kindy School with my Chris!

Miss Mana's still in shock as we head towards Daddy Cary's study. She's holding her bag to her really tightly against her chest like someone's gonna take it and that's just silly no one here is a thief. Daddy Cary is a lawer. Momma Grace is a Healer. Aunt Gail's a nurture. Uncle Jason is a protector but he's with Mommy and Daddy at the apple place coz they got new design for big ships that someone wants. Uncle Jason guards them from the baddies.

Maybe, she's guarding my test? Why? I haven't even got to take it yet? I don't have ray vision like Superman or Supergirl?

I wrinkle my nose as I give her what Lelliot calls my listening look that can make anyone spill the beans. Spill the beans? That means talk or tell the truth when you don't want to. These adult sayings are confusing. Why don't they just say what they mean instead of something silly like that? I guess when you get older you gotta learn a whole new language to talk and stuff? I'll stick with being a kid.

"Miss Mana? Daddy Cary is a lawer, so you don't have ta worry about guarding your stuff so much and I don't have ray vison like in the picture books that Lelliot and the boys like to read so I can't tell what's on the test in there."

"Anastasia Rose, you and your imagination." Daddy Cary chuckles, as he puts my booster seat from the kitchen onto one of the chairs that's in front of a round table in his office that's got more chairs by it. Then he scoops me up and sets me down so that I can reach the top of the table.

Our big brothers call me little bit, coz I'm tiny compared to them. Chris, Mimi, and me are like three feets and they're all like six feets or more! It hurts your neck to look up so high, so I don't mind all that much when they scoop me up and carry me around or on their shoulders. Sam, Ros, and Gwen. Our big sisters are all tall too, not as tall as the boys that would be weird. Sorry if I'm spacing out, but Miss Mana's taking forever to give me this test.

"Ana's already taken the WPPSI and I faxed the results to you this afternoon. In truth Miss Mana the only factor keeping her from attending with my little ones is her age. Chris and Ana are both in the top twenty percentile on the Junior Mensa list. Giving her another test is frankly a waste of both of our times. You have one slot still open in their class and Ana deserves it. Your school is for gifted youngsters and you won't find one more gifted than Annie Steele." Daddy Cary got his serious face on.

"Oh, I took that when I was two almost three. It was easy." I will myself not to roll my eyes at her. If that's the test that I'm gonna be taking then Kindy School here I come! "The Mens one was hard in spots, but then that's the point right? To…um…challenge our minds? Or was it to see how smart we are?"

"A little of both, sweet pea." Daddy Cary's got his proud face on.

"It's just a formality to see where you're intellectual abilities are at this point in time." She's snapped out of her shock and is smiling at me now. She's pretty. Not the dress though. It's so bright and those flowers hurt my eyes!

Mimi and Kate would say that it's couture. Momma K that's Kate's mommy, she designs clothes and stuff some of it is crazy looking like Miss Mana's dress.

"I don't care if it's my way into Kindy School then test away!" I've got my focused face on to show that I really want this really bad.

Daddy Cary's office phone rings and he reaches over on his desk to answer it. "Carrick Grey. Hi Ray. How's the big city? You and Carla got my message? Yes, she's one determined little pixie. I agree that's why I arranged for Miss Mana to come evaluate her today. Oh, she's already showing her how bright she is. One moment and I'll let you talk to Miss Mana." He gives the phone to Miss Mana so she can talk to my daddy.

"Hello, Mr. Steele. She's an amazing little girl. Yes, Mr. Grey called on behalf of you and your wife. I have all of her previous tests given to me by Mr. Grey…Gifts to the school are always welcome…Like I was telling your little one, the test that I am about to give her is merely a formality just to see where she stands academically… I was made aware of her standing on Junior Mensa. It's very impressive. Top twenty in the country at nearly four…"

"Um, I was four. Ana was almost three…" Chris pipes up from his spot by the wall of books.

"I'm sorry. I have been corrected by Christian. It was almost three when she took the Junior Mensa…Yes, the two of them are quite the little team…ever sense they were what?" Her eyebrows go way up into her hair, but then she's smiling at something else that Daddy's telling her. "Well, we can't have them separated now can we…" She winks at me and then at Chris.

"Um…she'd be mad all the time like forever, so please let her come with me to Kindy school!" Chris's giving her his puppy dog look.

Daddy Cary and Miss Mana laugh.

"I'm not kidding! She'll be really, really, really, mad if you keep us apart!" He growls, crossing his arms.

"Yes, Mr. Steele, that was Christian…You are so right…He's quite the champion…Now that I have your permission to proceed I'll give Anastasia…"

"Ana. Anastasia is her naughty name. I don't mind Christian or Chris, but she just likes Ana or Annie if she really likes you." Chris corrects her before I can.

"Then Ana it will be and hopefully before long I can earn the right to call her Annie." Miss Mana grins at Chris then winks at me.

"You can call me Anastasia, Ana, or Annie if you get me into Kindy School…" I shoot Chris a cool it glare and he rolls his eyes at me.

"It was lovely talking with you, Mr. Steele…I'll be sure to tell Mrs. Carver to call you about your wishing to give a generous gift to our school…Not that it should be necessary, as she's a little marvel and would be a welcome addition to our student body…I'm going to let Mr. Grey chat with you while I focus on testing her…Actually, we have had four year-olds attend before. There's a little wiz Barney Sullivan who won't be five until December…Like I've been trying to convey to the little ones and the two of you…this is a formality…Mrs. Carver herself sent me her to evaluate and interview Ana and allowed me to decide if she's mature enough to attend my class or not. She also wants this test done to show where we need to place her as we do with all incoming students…You, too, Mr. Steele…Here's Mr. Grey…Have a lovely evening." She hands the phone back to Daddy Cary and then goes to sit in one of the chairs at the big table and gets out the stuff for my test.

"I'll call you back as soon as they're all done. Yes, she'll want to tell you and Carla herself." Daddy Cary chuckles. "I just needed Jason to give me the number of Mr. Manny's service…She did and yes it was…the kids had the time of their lives until he got there…Bubble Armageddon…Elliot was trying to cool off her temper by jumping with her into the pool. She wasn't having it and broke his nose with her little foot…Gail went to get her fresh clothes, but got called away downstairs to prepare an ice pack for Elliot's nose…not even ten minutes and an entire bottle of Mr. Bubble…little imp turned on the shower…it wasn't positioned correctly over the tub…you guessed it water and bubbles everywhere…the drain couldn't even keep up…about an hour or so with his crew to get it straightened away…Elliot got video and Logan took pictures…El wants to submit it to AFV…Carla's where? School shopping for Annie? She left as soon as you got my message? True…she'd have to be dragged kicking and screaming otherwise… glad that the symposium wasn't a waste of time... Talk to you in a bit, Ray. Bye." He hangs up the phone and then goes to sit behind his desk to read this really big book on it.

I hear Chris sighing behind me. He's bored with nothing to do.

I glance over at Daddy Cary. He put the book away and is getting out coloring stuff and putting it on his big desk. Chris loves to draw, so he won't be bored while I take this easy test.

"Chris, let's you and me draw something for Mommy while Ana takes her test." He calls Chris over to him and he races over to go sit on his lap.

It's a little while later and I'm done. Miss Mana's checking it over and she's smiling. She's getting out stickers too! Chris got stickers after he took his test! They're smile faces and she puts lots on this sheet that she's writing on! Kindy School here I come! It's the only thing I want for my Birthday to go to school with my Chris!

"Well, Miss Ana Steele." She hands me the paper with the stickers on it. Let me be the first to welcome you to Kindergarten and I am looking forward to having you and Christian in my class this year." She holds out her hand and I know what to do! I take it in mine and shake it a lot! I get to go to Kindy School!

"I did it!" I squeal happily and bounce in my chair.

"You did! With flying colors!" She nods, still smiling at me.

"Chris! Daddy Cary! I did it!" I scramble out of my chair and race over to them.

"Yes! Happy Ana is back! No more sad face! No more frowns! No more throwing toys at me! No growling! No yelling! Just my happy Ana again!" Chris shouts out happily and both Daddy Cary and Miss Mana laugh as we hug each other and jump up and down.

"Happy that I could help get Happy Ana back!" Miss Mana grins at us and we go and give her legs a hug.

"We all are happy to have our happy Annie back again." Daddy Cary's all smiles too.

"We gotta go tell Mommy, Aunt Gail, Mia, Lelliot, Logan, and Adam!" Chris races to the big doors of the study, opens one, and zooms off without me.

"Thank you, Miss Mana! I got my birthday wish early!" I don't forget my manners, always thank someone who helps you. "You can call me Annie too if you want to."

"You are very welcome, Annie." She's got her stuff back in her bag and is getting ready to go, but she left something for Daddy Cary on his desk. "I'll see you both in class. Enjoy your last few days before school starts. "

"I'll see you out." Daddy Cary scoops me up and follows Miss Mana out of the study and we head for the front doors. "Thank you for doing this for us."

You can hear Chris excitedly talking to Aunt Gail and Momma Grace in the kitchen. Mimi's gone crazy happy too and I can hear her screaming the news to our big brothers outside at the pool.

"It was truly my pleasure." Miss Mana shakes his hand and then she's off to her car.

She drives Herby! That's so cool!

"Let's go call your Daddy and tell him the good news." Daddy Cary kisses my nose and I giggle. "We have another Kindergärtner in the house."

Yay! Kindy School here I come!

* * *

Next Chapter will be the First Day of Kindy Schoo and the formation of the Scooby Gang.


	4. Scooby gang is formed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First Day of Kindy School! Like the title of this chapter says. The Scooby Gang is formed.
> 
> This has been one crazy busy summer! The last half of July I've been crazy busy attending symposiums for work. This month I'm attending a month long retreat with my sisters. While it's a fantastic Zen atmosphere, it's also hard as hell to sneak off and reconnect with the outside world! Well that and my reoccurring chronic illness has been kicking my ass since July and tech still hates me! So cross your fingers that this update works!
> 
> Love that you're enjoying my story!
> 
> Any and all mistakes area all mine! Enjoy!
> 
> Cin XOXO
> 
> Disclaimer: The original characters are mine as is the story idea. EL owns the rest.

OoooO

Chris

Today we get to start Kindy School and I'm really excited because Ana gets to go with us too! Ana's been so happy to be going with us that she's been all smiles and giggles for days!

So much better than grouchy, angry, sulky, growly, frowny, Ana!

Daddy says that we're gonna make lots of new friends and that we'll learn a lot.

"Chris, Mia, Elliot, time for breakfast! You don't want to be late on your first day of school." Mom calls us from downstairs.

Mia stomps past me down the stairs! Mimi is so not a morning person. Neither is my Ana, but she's too happy to even let getting up this early bother her.

I follow her into the kitchen and scramble up onto my chair at the kitchen island. Gail is making breakfast and its yummy pancakes and blueberry syrup. I'll try my best not to get my new clothes dirty when I eat them. Mia's still pouting being up so early and chooses to have cereal instead.

Lelliot stumbles blindly into the kitchen and heads for coffee. Even when I'm older I will never drink that yucky brown drink. It's gross! Lelliot's not really pose to drink it and gets his fingers swatted by Aunt Gail. Nope, it's OJ just like me and Mimi. He grumbles as he plops down next to me and eats his breakfast. He reminds me of a wild animal sometimes when he eats. Now you see it then it's gone.

"I've got practice tonight! I'll be home for dinner!" He tells Mommy, between his last bites of breakfast. He kisses each of us on the head. "Don't get into too much trouble your first day, midget. Mimi, it's not gonna work so enough with the waterworks! Get used to waking up early, because the older you get the earlier they force you to wake up. Mom and Dad aren't gonna cave because you're not a morning person. Annie's a beast in the morning, but I bet she's jumping around like a little bean raring to go."

Mimi's down to sniffles now, but she's glaring at everyone still.

"Straight home after practice! It's a school night! You just got your license! Homework first! You know the rules!" Dad calls after Elliot, as he grabs his jacket, gives Mom and Gail each a kiss on the cheek then heads for the garage.

"Yeah, I know the drill by heart!" He calls back. "Laters!"

We have little backpacks, snacks, and stuff that they told Mommy that we'd need. A nap matt who knew that you get to take a nap in school? Not me. How can you learn anything when you're sleeping? It makes no sense to me. We only get to go for half a day. It's confusing cuz Elliot has to go all day, but then I don't really know a lot about school as this is my first day. We all went to Tiny Tots, but I guess this is more than that I'll find out when our Mommy drops us off at school.

Mia's starting to cry again and I don't think that it's because she's scared at all. She's not going to get her way and when she doesn't she cries a lot. Dad kisses the two of us on the head and goes off to work. Uncle Jason's gonna pick us up when it's time for us to come home. Mommy is gonna take us now because she has to work when we need to get picked up. She's a doctor and works to make kids all better again at this big hospital.

She's my angel. She made Mia and Me all better when we were hurt really bad. I don't wanna think about that though. Nope, all I wanna think about is what school is gonna be like. Ana's going to be taken there by her Mommy, but I know that she's excited about this as much as I am. Then she gets to come home with us.

I bet that she's driving her Mommy and daddy crazy too. I miss her. We usually ride to school together at least that was when we went to Tiny Tots.

The front door flies open and Ana races in with her Mommy giving chase. "Anastasia Rose Steele! I said the car not Grey Manor!"

"I wanted to see my Chris!" She's hugging me so hard that I can't really breathe. It's a Mimi hug. She's so excited that she's full of energy.

"Ana…" I wheeze. "Can't…breathe…"

"Oops…" She bites down on her lip, big blue eyes wide. "Sorry! I'm just so excited about Kindy school!" She let's me go, but she's far from calm and turns her sights on Mia. "Mimi! No tears! It's gonna be fun!"

"But I'm tired!" Mia whines. "Why's Kindy School so early?"

"So we can learn lots and lots of stuff!" Ana hugs her until Mia hugs her back. "No tears! It's gonna be fine! You've got Chris, Me, Kate, Ethan, and we're gonna meet even more today at school!"

"Sweetie, this first week will just be all of you getting to know one another, your school, and your teacher. You're going to have so much fun learning that you'll be excited to get up every morning, you'll see." Mommy's giving her a pep talk too.

I think its working, coz Mia's calm enough to see that Ana's wearing a dress, tights, and her sneakers. "Ana's wearing a dress that Kate and me got her!" She's all but screaming it to the world and hugging Ana.

"She's a girl, Mimi." I roll my eyes, but it's really weird to see Ana in a dress. It doesn't happen. "Girls wear dresses."

She's even got her hair all braided nice too and not her normal pigtails. Momma Carla must have promised her a super yummy snack, coz Ana loves her long hair, but hates messing with it. Her hair is like crazy long to her waist with lots and lots of curls, but she always puts it into pigtails to keep it out of the way.

"Mommy begged me and I'm in too good of a mood to fight her, so yeah, I'm wearing a dress. I had to sit through like forever getting my hair brushed, braided, and pretty. I was gonna just keep it down with a hair thingy, but it kept getting all in my face, so she braided it." Ana's getting all red in the face and looking at her bright blue sneakers.

"Kate! You! Me! All match! I'm in pink! Kate's in Red! Annie's in blue! Almost, I gotta go run and change into my sneakers too! Mommy! Can you call Kate's Mommy and tell her to put sneakers on, so we match? Please! With gumdrops and lollipops on top!" She's excitedly jumping up and down. Her eyes doing that melt to what I want look that nearly always lets her get her way. She, Kate, and Ana all have that one mastered.

"I'll try, baby girl." Mommy hurries over to the phone and Mia zooms to go change into her bright pink sneakers.

I cross my fingers and toes that she hasn't left or Mimi will start sulking all over again. "Don't be like that, Ana. We're all kinda sorta dressed up for our first day. You won't be the only ones in dresses that's for sure. I mean, all that's missing with what I got on is a tie, but there's no way that I'm gonna wear a stupid tie to school." I try to cheer her up and give her a hug.

"At least you get to wear jeans and not those funny shorts that you sometimes gotta wear to church and stuff, so you're lucky." Ana lets me go to see what I've been forced to wear to school then whispers in my ear. "And don't even mention the tie or our Mommies are gonna go all crazy and make you wear one just because you'll look cute in it."

"Chris! You left the tie on your bed and you wanna look good for school too!" My traitor twin comes zooming back in her hot pink sparkly sneakers with my grey tie in her fist. "Momma Carla! Chris forgot his tie! Could you put it on him please?"

"Told ya so…" Ana takes the tie from Mia before her Momma can even answer my traitorous twin. She looks at it then at me all sympathetic like and clips the stupid thing onto my shirt. "It's easier just to give in…like what Lelliot and the boys say all the time 'Resistance is futile'."

"Christian you look so handsome all dressed up for school!" Aunt Gail's got a camera and is taking pictures. "Let's get some with all three of you together."

Mia, Ana, and me all pose for what seems like endless pictures and then to make it even worse we've got video too. Weren't the pictures enough for them?

All three of them are looking at us with tears like we're going away forever too. Isn't Uncle Jason gonna come get us? I thought school was a good thing, but they look so sad. Adults are so weird.

Ana looks at me and then at our Mommies and Aunt Gail and bites her lip. "We are coming back home, right? I mean, Uncle J is gonna come get us from school and everything?" She whimpers next to me.

"I think they're happy…" I frown at our Moms and Aunt because they really don't seem like it. They seem really sad.

"If we can't come back home then I'm not going to stupid school!" Mia's back to crying again and races over to cling to our Mommy's leg in terror.

Ana's just clinging to me like I am to her.

"No! Babies! We're just sad that you're growing up so fast!" Our Mommies are staring at us in alarm that we're thinking that we're not coming back.

I mean Mommy didn't cry when Lelliot left for school. Daddy didn't cry at all he was smiling when he told us to have a good day and learn lots of things. It's so confusing how tears can mean so many things instead of just one.

"Then we still get to come home?" The three of us are so confused.

"Yes, darlings. No one is sending you away forever. School is just part of the day and then we'll always be there to collect you afterward." Mommy's in soothe mode and so is Momma Carla.

The big granddad clock chimes and our mothers go crazy. "Oh, my stars! You're going to be late! Let's go, you three!"

Ana's already wearing her backpack that's got her stuff in it, but we're not and we scramble into them. Aunt Gail hands me my Power Rangers lunch box and Mimi her Barbie one that got our snacks in them. Can't leave without our snacks. We'd starve to death.

"Wait is Kate wearing sneakers! We have to match!" Mia's back to that again no more tears.

"Yes, she's wearing her sneakers, now does everyone have their things?" Mommy looks us over.

"Um, Ana doesn't gots her snacks. She needs her snacks too." I'll share if I have to, but we're all pose to have one. It was on our list of stuff.

"Did someone forget her Garfield lunch box?" Daddy Ray is standing in the doorway holding up Ana's snacks and she races over to him.

Good. She won't starve now! Gotta have snacks to keep you going! Ya just gotta! It's a rule!

"Thanks, hon." Momma Carla smiles and goes over to him.

"Let's get our little pixie to school, as it is we'll be lucky to get there on time." He's got Ana in his arms.

"Guess, I gotta go with Daddy and Mommy. I'll see you there." Ana shouts as they leave.

"Let's go, darlings." Mommy takes Mimi's hand and then mine and we head for the garage. "It's a whole new world for you to discover today and you're going to meet new friends and have fun."

OoooO

We get there and there are a bunch of Mommies and Daddies with their kids all lined up in front of the doors to this big building with lots of windows.

Was Daddy pose to come too? There are an awful lot of Daddies here. I can see Kate and Ethan with their Mommy, but their Daddy's not there so maybe it's okay that Daddy didn't come too. Ana's Daddy's here, but then he and her Mommy work in the same place so maybe that's why?

I see Miss Mana talking to Daddy Ray and she's wearing a dress with flowers on it again, but this one's nice and doesn't hurt your eyes.

"Let's go start your big adventure into learning." Mommy's smiling at us as we walk over to where everyone is all starting to line up by the doors.

"Kate! Ana!" Mia squeals, as soon as she spots them. "See Mommy! We match!"

"I see that, darling girl." Mommy laughs. Mia was so against going and now she can't wait and is dragging us to them. "Looks like Ethan and some of the other boys are wearing ties too, baby boy."

"Chris!" Ethan's waving at me and I wave back. "Ya, gotta, meet Barney! His dad makes planes! And his Mommy makes stuff for computers! Jose! His Dad draws and builds stuff and his mom decorates them. And Paul! His Dad's a CEO of his own company like my dad and his Mom's a nurse."

The boy wearing glasses, with curly hair like mine only his is black not red, is getting all red faced and staring at his sneakers. Jose's got black hair and Paul's blonde like Ethan. They're all wearing a tie, shirt, Jeans, and sneakers just like me and Ethan.

"Really!?" Now that's what I call a job! Making airplanes! I wanna be a pilot and fly them and copters too! But being CEO like Daddy Ray or Papa K isn't bad either. Ros wants to be important like a CEO too and spends lots of time with either Papa K or Daddy Ray learning stuff. Our other big brothers and Sam wanna fight the bad guys and that's not bad either. "Be right there!"

His Mommy gets to work with Computers! Jose's dad and Mom are what Lelliot and Gwen wanna be. Paul's Mommy's a healer like Mommy, only she's a helper of doctors and his Dad's a CEO. They all have important jobs! Mine do too! Mommy's a Doctor and Daddy's a Lawer!

"Slow down, little man. You too, little miss. They're not going anywhere." Mommy's not about to let go of our hands.

"Grace!" Ethan's Mommy Victoria, Momma K, to us smiles at our Mom and they do this air kiss thing that's weird, but a lot of grownups do it. Then she reaches down and scoops us both up for a hug and kiss on the cheek then sets us back down. "Chris, Mimi, you look precious! Are you both ready for your big day?"

We both nod our heads a lot. We're waiting for the signal that we can go see our friends, even if they are like right there.

Mia's never one to wait for anything. "Can we go see Kate, Ana, and Ethan now?" She pouts up at them with big grey-blue eyes and her strawberry blonde ringlets bouncing around her face. Mia's never liked long hair, but it's long enough so that she's got a headband that's pink and sparkly in it. Mimi's big on the sparkly stuff.

Mommy scoops us up one at a time and gives us a squeeze and a kiss. "Run along to your friends. Have fun. Meet new friends. I can't wait to hear all about your first day when you get home. Love you, my darlings."

We hug and kiss her back. "Love you too, Mommy!" And that's all it takes for us to zoom over to our friends while Mommy and Momma K goes to talk to the other parents and Miss Mana.

OoooO

"Barney! Jose! Paul! This is Christian! We call him Chris!" Ethan's grinning at the boys beside him.

"Hi!" I smile. He seems kinda shy, but Ethan and I will cure him of that when he gets to know us. Now the other two don't seem shy at all.

"Hi!" Jose and Paul grin back.

"Hello…" Barney's shuffling his feet, yep shy.

"So, your Mom works with Computers? We have one at home that's for the family and then Daddy has one just for his law stuff in his study. Then we have a Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and a Genesis. They're all my big brother Lelliot's, but we get to play games on them too. Oh, and Gameboys. I wanted to bring mine, but Mommy said that's just for home so I couldn't. Jose, your Mommy and Daddy do what my big brother and big sister want to do. Building and desigining things that's neat. Paul's Mom helps healers make people get better and his dad's a big boss. Your parents have awesome jobs. "

Barney's eyes light up and he starts talking all about operating systems and his Mom being on a team that makes systems so that computers can work. About his Uncle who works for the people who are making something called a PlayStation. His family are all into computers and stuff and his Dad designs top secret airplanes and passenger planes too. He wants to be a computer programmer when he gets big. "What's your Mommy and Daddy do?"

"My Daddy's a lawer and my Mommy's a Doctor she makes little kids who are really sick or hurt all better again. She's like an angel. I wanna fly planes and copters when I get big and maybe build ships like Ana's Daddy does." I proudly answer him. "Daddy is more than just a lawer, but right now I can't think of what it's called. He works with the Justice people sometimes and when he does then he can't talk about it and men and suits come to our house. I think he defends people, but not baddies even though they come and ask him. My Daddy's a champion for justice or something like that I think. He also helps big companies with law stuff too."

"I know your Mommy. She made me better when I had trouble breathing this summer and she's still my doctor. You're lucky that she's your Mommy. Wow, and your Daddy gets to go defend people at that big courthouse that's cool." He's smiles shyly.

"You're Mommy's Doctor Grace?" Paul's looking over at my Mommy.

"Yep, that's my Mommy right over there." I nod.

"She's like the best doctor at the hospital where my mom works. You're so lucky to have her for a Mom." Paul's in awe of my Mom. A lot of people are.

"Chris, is gonna be a CEO just like Ethan's and My Daddy are when he gets big, but flying's nice too. Mia's not sure yet what she wants to do, but it'll be something to do with clothes maybe like Momma K. I'm gonna write stories or read them coz I love books. Kate and Ethan's gonna be a reporters for their Daddy. Jose and Paul not sure yet. But Barney that's easy anything with computers." Ana chimes in as the girls join us. "Chris, Ethan, Barney, Jose, Paul, meet Andrea and Hannah. We just met, so I don't know what they wanna be yet. "

"Hi," Andrea's blonde with blue eyes and Hanah's got light brown hair with green eyes and they both smile shyly at us.

"Hi," We smile back.

"I wanna be a doctor just like Chris and Mia's Mom." Paul declares.

"I love to draw stuff like my parents, so I'll probably do that…" Jose's next.

"Um, I like to read a lot like Annie, so I'm gonna do something that lets me do that like my Mom. She's an editor and my Daddy's a DA sort of like Chris's dad, but he works for the city and puts baddies away." Hannah shyly starts talking.

"My Dad's the CEO of his company they do taxes and stuff for big companies and my mom helps keep him organized. They're a team." Andrea's very sure of herself.

"Steele Shipping it's like been in our family for a really long time. Daddy runs it as CEO and My Mommy's the CFO. He builds ships of all kinds and Mommy makes sure that stuff all stays in balance or something. Just never in the red that's bad. But for some reason being in the black is good. They're a team too. It's neat that all of us have awesome parents." Ana's all happy smiles and believe me that's a good thing.

The bell rings and Miss Mana reads our names off her list and we get a sticker with our name on it to put on our clothes and then go over to line up beside her in front of the big blue open doors. There's fifteen of us, so it should be easy to remember all the names. But something tells me that our little group are gonna be best friends for a long, long time. This is just the start of our adventures together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that made you smile! The next Chapter of Teddy and Family will be up soon and that has a bit of drama but this was all smiles and a few giggles.
> 
> Cin XOXO


	5. The Intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Baby TJ is on the way and Ana isn't all that happy about it. He's a surprise. Everyone is calling the soon to be new arrival Ray and Carla's little miracle. A title that for nine years has been Ana's. She's feeling threatened and nothing anyone is saying to her is getting through.
> 
> Any and all mistakes area all mine! Enjoy!
> 
> Cin XOXO
> 
> Disclaimer: The original characters are mine as is the story idea. EL James owns the rest. (I love to play with her characters but with my AU spin on them. Sorry folks I don't do Cannon ever. Like, Love it, Hate it…you have been warned ^^).

* * *

 

Ana

Chris is packing for his scout camping trip that's boys only and listening to me vent about the unwanted addition to my family. My parents are going to saddle me with a sibling!

"Did I ask for a sibling? Did I want one!? No! I like having them to myself! Why did they wanna rock the boat by adding another mouth to feed and be responsible for!? I mean, truth be told the two of them are uber busy people! How are they gonna handle taking care of a rugrat when they barely have enough time for me! What's that gonna do to my quality time?!" I seethe in frustration.

Chris stops rolling his sleeping bag to shoot me his 'not this again' exasperated look. "Ana, there is nothing that you can do about it. You are getting a baby brother or sister whether you like it or not. It is not a choice that you get to make."

"Now that's where I disagree. There should have been a family discussion." I throw myself onto his bed on top of his neatly folded clothes, sending them flying everywhere, and scream into his pillows.

"Damn it, Anastasia Rose! Now I have to start all over again!" Chris shouts at me and starts picking up his stuff from the floor. "What part of miracle baby do you not get?! They didn't plan your sibling! It just happened! Get over it!"

"I'm their miracle baby!" I screech and hit him in the face with a pillow. "They didn't need to replace me with a newer model!"

"What are you five!?" He glares at me like I'm an alien or in need of the funny farm. "Did you not pay any attention in Health class?! Do you not comprehend all of those endless books that you love to read!? Seriously, Anastasia, if you're gonna throw a snit and attack me with my pillows for being the voice a reason then go HOME!"

What the hell?! Is he kicking me out!? He's supposed to be on my side!?

"Because you aren't listening to me! I'm being replaced! They've missed soccer games because baby appointments clashed with them! Dad's the assistant coach! When we earned our black belt last week, were they there?! No! She forced me to take ballet all these years and never missed one recital, but now none of my activities matter anymore! They're always so focused on baby this and baby that! They've missed everything! "

"Becoming a big sister does not mean that your parents are replacing you! Two games. Your mom had a scare and they were at the hospital when we earned our belts and the same thing happened right before your recital!" Chris stalks over to his door and throws it open. "You've been hanging around Mimi and Kate too much! Creating endless drama over nothing! Call me when you've come back to your senses!"

"Fine!" I scramble off his bed sending the rest of his stuff flying, not that I give a damn! He's abandoning me in my hour of need! "Be on Team Rugrat! Abandon me when I need you the most! It's clear that you don't care that my parents are sending me away when it's born! Don't bother visiting me either! I mean, they've already given it my room and moved me to the guest bedroom at then end of the hall! It's no surprise that the next step is shipping me off to my grandparents while the little creature gets the run of my house!" I stalk passed him in a full blown snit.

"They are not shipping you off! Your new room is twice as big as your old one and it's far enough from the nursery so that the baby won't keep you awake at night! What is so wrong about going to see your Grandparents? You love the farm and are right next door to Grandma and Grandpa T's orchard! You clearly don't want to bond with the baby, so they're giving you the space that you are screaming for until you finally get it into your stubborn little mind that being a big sister is not the end of the world!" He glowers down at me and I glare back up at him. He's had a growth spurt so he's taller than me while I'm stuck at five feet nothing.

"You'll be so sorry when I'm gone! Not that you even care about me anymore! That's fine with me! I don't need you! I'll figure it all out on my own! You and I are done!" I scream at him, willing myself not to burst into tears and then stalk down the hallway to the top of the stairs. Turning to glare icy blue eyes at him and shouting out one final shot his way before stalking down the stairs. "I hope you come down with a nasty case of poison oak, ivy, and sumac!"

"Ana!" I can hear him shout after me. "I didn't! It's not that I don't…"

He made his position crystal clear and I don't want anything to do with him at all! I run blindly across the lawn and scramble through my spot in the rose hedges back home.

* * *

 

"Ana…" Daddy's trying to figure out why I've dragged out my suitcase and am throwing all my stuff into it instead of enough for a weekend at my GG's farm. "Why are you packing up your closet? It's only for the weekend, not forever."

I stalk past him and into the hall closet to drag out another case. "I'm keeping stuff there for when you ship me off and replace me with miracle baby! It's not like Chris cares either! He kicked me out of his room and told me to stop being a drama queen! So we're done! Not that you care about what's happening with me anymore!"

"Look, I get that you're feeling left out and that we've had to miss some of…"

"Some of my stuff!? Dad! You've missed everything, because the baby comes first and it's not even born yet! Soccer which you co-coach! Me earning a black belt! My first recital en point! My gymnastics meet! If I wanna go to the movies or out for ice-cream then it's with Mimi or with Kate and their parents! Months of stuff! Missed because baby comes first! I get that Mom has had a few scares and fine that's understandable, but the rest!? You both don't care about anything that happens with me anymore!" I toss am arm load of stuff into the case and stalk to my drawers for more.

Dad scoops me up and tosses me over his shoulder. "Family meeting! You are not being replaced or disowned!"

"Put me down! I need to finish packing my stuff!" I squirm then squeal when it earns me a smack on the butt. "Owie! I'm just making it easier for you and mom to focus on the baby! It's all you and Mom care about anyway! I've spent more time over at Mimi's or Kate's than I have here! Because you don't love me anymore!"

"Ray? What one earth is wrong with Ana?" Mom comes out of my former room to see what's going on?

"He won't let me pack!" I grumble, trying to wriggle free, and he swats me again. "Fine! We'll have your meaningless family meeting and then I'll finish packing for Grandma and Grandpa's! It's not like you're gonna miss me when I'm gone!"

"Gone?!" Mom's staring at Dad like I've lost my marbles. "You're spending the weekend at the farm with the rest of the girls while the boys are off camping. You love spending time on Grandma and Grandpa Lamb's farm." She's absently rubbing her massive belly. I'm not kidding this kid is gonna be a beast! She's looks like she swallowed half a basketball and has months to go!

"Annie's feeling abandoned because we've missed some of her events…" Dad gives mom the short version of my rant and she bursts into tears, which has dad torn between placating Mom or letting me down to bolt back to my room and pack.

"I'm a terrible mother!" She sobs against Dad's shoulder. He's still got me, but has his other arm around Mom. "We've missed so much and now she hates us!"

"The baby comes first over everything and it's like I don't matter to you anymore." I start to tear up too, because the last thing that I wanted was to make my mom cry. "Even Chris is on Team Baby. He called me a diva and kicked me out until I come to my senses, so we're done."

"We are not done!" Chris shouts from downstairs. "I was trying to get you to see reason and you went mental again!"

"Go away!" I shout.

"No! Grow up!" He stalks up the stairs with his stuff. "Mom got called to the hospital. Dad got a call and has to go to DC again. Lelliot's at Stanford. T went with Dad and Gail just left to take care of her sister. Camping got canceled. I'll be in my room. Mimi's over at Kate and Ethan's" He heads off to his room.

"Just drop your gear and then head downstairs." Ray calls after him.

"Fine, but she's being a stubborn little diva and I don't think even a family talk is gonna shake her out of it. In her defense though, you have missed a lot of stuff, so I do get why she's thinking what she's thinking. I know it's not true, but I do get why." He disappears into his room.

"We're over there being any danger of losing this little one, so it's gonna get better, baby girl. I promise." Now that has me kinda freaked out a little. What did Mom mean by danger? Losing the intruder? I'm nine they need to tell me these things!

"You know. If you would just stop treating me like a little kid and actually talk to me about what's going on instead then I wouldn't feel like I do now. You miss stuff or are changing stuff in the house for the baby, so then you try and make up for it by spoiling me with stuff. Like having Gwen design my room and not with no budget. My old playroom is getting transformed into a gaming and computer nirvana. The new my size sailboat that's in the boathouse is fantastic, but then you don't have the time for teaching me so Daddy Cary has been teaching me and Chris instead. I get that you think that I need to keep active and busy, but what's the point if you're not there to watch me achieve those goals…" Daddy has me so that he's holding me instead of carrying me like a fire hose and we're locking eyes.

"Like it or not, you little pixie are still a little kid whether you think you are or not." He kisses me on my nose. "And because of that your Mom and I feel the need to shelter you from anything that's going to worry or upset you."

"Yeah, not really working, Daddy. I feel like an outsider in my own house. You and mom are so focused on the intruder that you forget that your first miracle needs you too. I'm not Mia or Kate, so all of these things mean nothing to me if I don't get to have quality Daddy or Mommy time to go with them." I wrinkle my nose and pout at him.

"If you don't know how to explain to Ana what's going on with Momma C then why didn't you just ask my Mom? I mean that's what she does and she's the best doctor in the universe." Chris pipes up from behind us.

"I already asked Momma Grace all about it and she sat me down and showed me a book with pictures of what the intruder looks like inside Momma's belly. She didn't say anything about Momma being in danger or losing the intruder in any of our talks. Just that it takes lots of Mommy's energy and stuff like that…" I narrow my eyes at my Daddy and growl. "What's wrong with mommy?"

"Nothing is that matter with me, Babydoll." Mommy croons soothingly and reaches up to stroke my hair. "I just had to be really careful for a few months and that meant seeing the doctor more to make sure that me and your little brother…"

"The intruder that's taken over my life is a boy?" My eyes pop wide at the news.

"Ana being a big brother or sister is a really big deal. You get to protect them, love them, and teach them stuff. I protect Mimi all the time. Help her with Math. And I love her lots…" Chris once again tries his how fantastic it is to be the older sibling speech on me again and I shrug.

"You're what? Five whole minutes older than Mimi?" I snort, rolling my eyes.

"So, I'm still older than she is making me her big brother whether she likes it or not." Chris grins. "You've got it even better than I do its like Lelliot when Mimi and I were little."

"How do you even know it's a boy? You can't tell anything from those pictures that you get from the doctor's." I'm still far from convinced that the bean shape in those pictures now looks like a person like in the book.

"Your mom and I have something to show you that might make this transition easier on you and no it's not one of those printed out photos either." All of us head downstairs, I guess to see what the intruder looks like now. Maybe they got something in color this time?

Sitting on the coffee table is Daddy's laptop and I'm wondering what that has to do with seeing my Baby brother. Then I spy the DVD+R disk sitting next to it and I can just make out what's written on it Baby Steele 15 weeks scan. "They gave you a home movie of the intruder?!" I gape up at Daddy and he's grinning at me.

"Ana…he's not an intruder…" Mom plucks me out of his arms for a cuddle and the intruder kicks me causing me to jump out of her arms, cling to Chris, and glare down at her belly.

"It kicked me in the hinny!" I growl in outrage.

"Well, maybe you were squishing him and he didn't like it and told ya so?" Chris shrugs. "Or ya woke him up and he's as grouchy as you are when someone dares wake you from your beauty sleep."

Dad and Mom are trying so hard not to burst out laughing, knowing that it will incense me even more. "Or he's just saying hello and responding to your voice. He's been kicking and doing summersaults ever since he heard his big sister's voice." Mom's soothingly rubbing her belly.

"You're fine, sweet pea. You and Chris come sit by our feet." Daddy motions for us to join them in front of the coffee table.

"Fine, but getting kick in the hinny isn't cool at all!" I grumble, folding my arms, as we sit down at their feet.

"Neither is getting squished," Chris counters in the intruder's defense and I stick out my tongue, cross my eyes, and blow him a raspberry.

Just when Chris is gonna tug hard on my braid for sassing him with my sassy face, dad growls, "Ana, that's not nice. Tell him you're sorry. Chris, don't even think of it."

"Anymore of that and we won't be going out to IHOP for dinner tonight and if you're really good maybe even ice-cream." Mom narrows her eyes at us and uses her mom voice.

"Sorry, Christian…" I huff.

"Its fine, Anastasia." Chris reaches over and gives my shoulders a squeeze. "I get it. I'm team TJ and you don't like it."

"TJ?" I frown.

"Yeah," Chris points to the disk on the table. "That's what it says on the disk TJ Steele."

"The intruder has a name already?"

"Your baby brother, not the intruder has a name." Daddy corrects me, as he goes about booting up the disk on his laptop. "Say it with me, Anastasia. Baby brother."

"Fine. Baby brother…holy crap!" My eyes bug out of my head when Daddy plays what's on the disk.

"Anastasia Rose! Language!" Mom growls.

Chris is staring bug eyed at it too with his mouth open. "I'm with Ana all the way on that…wow!"

"He went from a blip, to a bean, to this alien looking creature, to…that?! And in just a few weeks! He looks like the baby in the book that Momma Grace gave me…he's a boy, alright! He waved at you and now he's sucking his thumb! Can we have a party and show everyone this?! This is so worth you ditching my stuff if it meant keeping TJ and Mom safe." It's so cool and he's starting to really look like Daddy a lot and he's got months to go.

"If that's what you want, baby girl." Mom's all smiles now that the crisis is over.

"That's unless you wanna surprise everyone, but that's a big secret for even Chris and I to keep. Maybe, just the family? We can have a blue cake, a box with blue balloons in it, or maybe hand out blue teddy bears?" I chatter excitedly.

Now that I can see an actual miniature human, I can see why Daddy and Mom were so careful and had to miss so much stuff. "Would you like that TJ? There will be lots of yummy cake." I croon to Mom's tummy and he kicks, making me giggle. "Can Chris feel this too? It's so cool!"

"Of course he can." Mom motions for him and Chris eagerly goes over to feel TJ doing circles inside my Mom.

"I think that he really likes your voice, because he's doing flips in there." Chris is as awed by this as I am. "Hey, TJ, I may not be your official big brother, but I can be your honorary one and that's just as good. I'll help Ana watch over you and teach you lots of cool stuff." That got a kick and Chris was grinning at me. "He likes my voice too."

"You're family, son. And are going to make a fantastic big brother, just as Ana is gonna make a wonderful big sister to our little Taylor Jason." Dad reaches out to ruffle Chris's hair and then Mom kisses his head.

"Uncle J is gonna do flips!" We grin.

"It's a surprise until we have the party that Ana wants…" Dad gives us a look.

"We won't tell." Chris and I both make the motion like we're zipping our lips. "Promise."

"Good. Now, both of you go set Ana's room to rights and then we'll be ready to go to IHOP in an hour."

"You trashed your room too?" Chris rolls his eyes, as he pulls me up to my feet.

"Anastasia Steele, did you trash Christian's room?" Mom narrows her eyes at me.

"Define trashed?" I bite my lip, trying not to look in hers or Dad's eyes.

"Ana…" Dad growls.

"Well, he had all of his stuff on his bed for his camping trip and when I threw myself on it things may or may not have gone flying everywhere…" I say all of that at lightning speed.

"It's fine. She was in a temper…no harm, no foul…" Chris hastily tries to get me out of trouble. "It wasn't like trashed…trashed…nothing got broken or anything like that…"

"Ana, you and Chris go over and fix his room now or no IHOP." Mom orders.

"Yeah, about that I kinda fixed it already," Chris scrubs at the back of his neck. "It wasn't really all that bad…"

"Well, then Ana will just have to do your chores for an entire month and then write me a ten page essay on manners and why it's not nice to take out her temper on other peoples things."

"A whole month?! And an essay!? Ten pages?!" I exclaim in protest.

"Want me to add grounded to that list?" Dad narrows his eyes at me.

"But! He does yardwork! The trash is so heavy too! Are we gonna be eating over at Chris's for a Month? He washes dishes or sets the table? Am I gonna be running back from his house to ours? Can't I just bake him cookies or something instead…I'll still write the essay…" I try to negotiate my sentence and add my big blue eyed puppy look for good measure, as it usually works.

"Anastasia Rose…"

Chris grabs my hand and starts dragging me out of the living room. "Cool it or you'll end up grounded for a month." He hisses.

"How about just the dishes and table?! The Essay! And I bake him cookies?" I call back.

"That's fine with me!" Chris stops us just outside the living room and calls back to negotiate and just to make sure that I don't make it worse he puts his hand over my mouth to shut me up. "She's too small to really do the yardwork and Dad won't go for it. She didn't really do any harm to my stuff, so maybe just a week of the dishes and table, the essay, and baking me triple chocolate, peanut butter fudge, monster cookies is more than a fair punishment? I mean, it was my room that got tossed…"

"We will agree to your appeal, Councilor Grey…" Dad calls back, highly amused by Chris's defense.

"One hour. We'll be up to check your progress and decide if we're still going out or not." Mom echoes after him.

"One hour. Got it!" Chris answers back.

"Ana?"

I glower up at Chris and he reluctantly removes his hand, "Got it, Mom! One hour!" I wriggle out of his hold and stalk towards the stairs. "That was not cool, Christian!" I hiss as we head upstairs.

"You were making it worse!" He hisses back. "Besides, it worked and I got your sentence lowered. Stop hissing at me and let's go tackle your room, so that we can go to IHOP! Oh, and you're welcome!"

**Author's Note:**

> And that's how Chris and Ana met. Hope you liked it.
> 
> Cin ;)


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